5 Ways To Tell If You’re Ready To Move-In With Your SO

Love is a crazy thing, one day you have your first kiss, the next you’re thinking you should move in together. Where does all the time go? If you’re thinking about it, there are a few ways to tell if you and your SO are ready. Obviously, every couple is different and this list may not apply for everyone, but they’re still good things to keep in the back of your mind.

1. You know each other’s habits

The last thing you want is to move in with someone you love, only to realize they do a million little things that drive you mental. From leaving dishes out, leaving lights off, or letting the dog sit on the couch, these are all important things you should know and talk about before making the move. They may seem like small things that don’t matter… until you get into your first fight as roommates and everything comes out in one heated argument that makes for an awkward morning.

2. You like their friends

Your place is now theirs, and their place is now yours, which means their friends are going to start coming over and you’re going to have to get to know them better if you haven’t already. If you share a friend group, this is ideal, but if you have separate friend groups, we suggest getting a bit closer to the people that your SO spends a lot of time around, cause pretty soon they’ll be spending a lot of time with you. As long as you aren’t crazy and their friends aren’t crazy, this one shouldn’t be a big deal, but there’s a lot of people there’s always that friend where you think to yourself, “why are you friends with them…?”, but you’d never dare say it out loud.

3. You can be independent

So now you’re not only lovers and friends, but roommates too, this doesn’t mean that you have to spend every waking minute with one another after you move in. Be sure you’re OK spending time to yourself and are comfortable enough in the relationship to have your own hobbies and your own interests. If you are too co-dependent, moving in may make the relationship suffer if you’re constantly smothering your SO, or vice versa. It’s always important to respect boundaries, just because you love someone, doesn’t mean you have to be home with them all day.

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4. You can openly talk about money

There will be times where the hydro bill is a bit more expensive than usual, or your work slowed up a bit and you’re not making as much money, whatever the case may be, be sure that you are comfortable discussing finances before you move in. Money is not always the easiest thing to talk about, especially with your significant other, so it’s extremely healthy and helpful if you build a strong foundation of communication in that aspect of your relationship because it will come in handy. Maybe you’re used to having your SO pay for everything such as food or movie nights, but it’s going to be a lot different when all the expenses of living come your way. “I broke the washing machine… want to go dutch…?”

5. You see a future with them

Perhaps the most important thing on the list, be sure you see a future with them. To move in together is a huge step in a relationship and it takes a lot of hard work. If you’re in it for the long haul and truly see a future with them, moving in together may be the best thing for you. It’s going to be hard, and an extremely big change to the dynamic of your relationship, but if you love each other, it will work out. Have fun trying to convince all your friends to help with the move!